The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) met with Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Dr Mohamed Farid Saleh, to review plans aimed at deepening cross-border investment and economic ties between the two nations.
Held in the presence of the Egyptian ambassador to Qatar, Walid Fahmy al-Faqi, the bilateral discussions focused on easing administrative processes, expanding joint commercial projects, and fostering direct channels for two-way capital flows.
QBA Chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani led the delegation, highlighting the strategic importance of Qatar–Egypt economic ties during the meeting. He stressed that both markets hold significant potential for long-term private sector collaboration.
Joining Sheikh Faisal during the meeting were QBA members Sheikh Mansoor bin Jassim al-Thani, Sheikh Nayef bin Eid al-Thani, Salah Jaidah, Faisal Abdulla Khalid al-Mana, Maqbool Habeeb Khalfan, Dr Jaafar Ali al-Sarraf, Dr Mohammed Altaf, and QBA general manager Sarah Abdallah.
Sheikh Faisal underscored the importance of Qatar-Egypt economic and investment relations, noting the significant potential to expand private-sector cooperation and build long-term investment partnerships.
He highlighted Egypt’s key investment advantages, including its large domestic market, diverse economic sectors and strategic geographic location, as well as opportunities to establish productive, industrial, tourism and service projects.
Sheikh Faisal noted that Qatari businesspeople are seeking to expand their investments in Egypt and explore opportunities across various sectors. He stressed the need to provide accurate investment information, streamline procedures and remove obstacles facing investors.
Dr Saleh highlighted the growth in economic and investment relations between the two countries, praising the role Qatari investments play in the Egyptian market and the confidence they reflect in the opportunities and potential of Egypt’s economy.
As part of Egypt’s drive to attract more Qatari investment, the minister confirmed the establishment of a dedicated department within the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade to handle the affairs of Qatari investors. The department will work to streamline their procedures, follow up on their projects and resolve any obstacles they may encounter.
Dr Saleh also outlined the Egyptian government’s efforts to improve the investment climate and develop its system of incentives and facilitation, pointing to the importance of cooperation with the Qatari private sector in the industrial, tourism, real estate, and logistics sectors, among other priority areas.
In a move reflecting the push toward two-way investment, the minister discussed Egypt’s interest, through the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, in exploring investment opportunities within Qatar, as well as plans to open an office for the fund in Doha.
He said the step would support direct engagement with Qatari investment institutions and companies, and allow both sides to explore opportunities for cooperation and joint investment in the two countries and across regional markets.
The Minister stressed that investment relations between Qatar and Egypt should not be limited to the flow of Qatari capital into the Egyptian market, but should evolve into a mutual partnership that draws on the economic and institutional strengths of both sides.
Sheikh Mansoor called for the establishment of a specialised office to assist Qatari small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to enter the Egyptian market, and to help overcome the administrative and procedural difficulties they may face at various stages of investment.
He explained that SMEs hold promising potential to contribute to the economic partnership between the two countries, but require direct channels of communication with the relevant authorities.
Such channels, he said, would give them access to accurate information on investment opportunities, licensing, land allocation, and legal and regulatory requirements, helping them make informed investment decisions and strengthening their ability to deliver successful and sustainable projects.
Sheikh Mansoor lauded the significant role played by Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade in developing the legislative and regulatory investment environment, and in setting out a clear roadmap for Qatari companies covering applicable laws, regulations, procedures and investment incentives, which he said contributes to greater transparency and easier market entry for investors.
Sheikh Nayef discussed the experience of Retaj Investment Group in the Egyptian market, noting that the group currently owns six projects in Egypt in the hotel management and commercial centres.
He said the group is looking to expand its investment activities in Egypt’s tourism related-real estate development, capitalising on growing demand for hotels, tourism facilities and related services.
He affirmed that Egypt possesses significant tourism and investment assets, and that developing integrated tourism and real estate projects represents an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Qatari and Egyptian investors, while helping to support the country’s tourism infrastructure and increase the sector’s capacity.
Dr Saleh affirmed that tourism is among the priority sectors in Egypt’s strategy to attract investment, referring to a study prepared in cooperation with the World Bank on the sector’s investment opportunities and future needs.
The minister said Egypt aims to reach 30mn tourists in the coming period, a target that will require expanding hotel capacity from the current 1,500 units to around 3,000 new hotel rooms annually. This, he said, opens opportunities for Qatari investors, who hold major tourism investments outside Qatar, to develop hotels, resorts and tourism real estate projects, supporting joint investment and contributing to Egypt’s tourism development targets.
QBA stressed on its commitment to continued coordination and communication with Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), and coordinating an upcoming visit to Egypt at the minister’s invitation, with the aim of following up on the opportunities and initiatives presented and encouraging Qatari businessmen and companies to explore them, in service of both countries’ shared interests and sustainable economic development.
